Miscellaneous

What is your acceptance rate?

Annually, there are an average of 300 applicants to the PhD program and 175 to the MA program. The acceptance rate is slightly above three percent.

How much is tuition?

Tuition varies based on residency status and enrollment hours. You can find the latest information about tuition and fees for graduate study on the website of the Office of the Registrar.

Do I need an MA to apply for the PhD program?

No; the Department of English considers direct admission to the PhD program from an undergraduate track for those who are interested. Most of our admitted PhD candidates, however, hold an MA.

I have a degree in a field other than English. Can I still apply to your program?

Yes. We do accept applications from prospective students who have degrees in other fields, but we do place all applications in equal competition, and students with English degrees are often better aligned with our program goals than those who have degrees in other fields. Those students who do have degrees in other fields should consider taking non-degree courses in English through an accredited college or university in order to better position themselves to apply; current undergraduates completing a degree in a field other than English should explore options for taking English electives through their current school.

If I am already an MA student at UIC, do I need to apply for admission to the PhD program?

Yes. Current MA students at UIC must submit all required materials by the regular PhD application deadline to be considered for the program. It’s a good idea to let the DGS and Graduate Studies Program Coordinator know that you intend to apply, as well.

Is it possible to take your PhD program part-time or at night?

There is no “night school” option for graduate studies at UIC. Due to the fact that our classes are offered throughout the day, studying exclusively at night is not possible. Additionally, due to the intensity of study, a part-time approach to the PhD is strongly discouraged. Part-time study would also made an applicant ineligible for a teaching assistantship.

Do I need to make an appointment with an advisor before I apply?

No. In fact, due to the high number of applications we receive every year, we would prefer to offer office appointments only to those students who have questions that we cannot answer by phone or through email. Anyone who wishes to make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies or Graduate Coordinator should call or email for arrangements. Current contact information is available on the Contact Us page.

Do you accept transfer credits?

Not usually; for example, PhD students who hold an MA upon matriculation are not allowed to transfer that coursework towards the PhD.

If you have completed graduate level coursework that has not been counted towards another degree, you may petition the Graduate College to have that credit applied towards your degree at UIC. You must have earned a grade of B or better and you may not transfer more than 12 course hours (typically three courses).

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Application Process

How strict are your application deadlines?

Applications must be submitted by the deadline (December 15 for PhD, February 1 for MA). Applications received after that date will not be considered. Applications that remain incomplete after the deadline are subject to cancellation.

Can I check online to see if my materials have been received?

What does the admissions committee look for in a application?

While all parts of the application are crucial, the strength of an application to our graduate program is determined by an applicant’s writing sample and statement of purpose. These parts of the application are scrutinized by the entire admissions review committee. The writing sample should represent your very best work; the statement of purpose should be as clear as possible, describing your writing vividly, while also discussing your intellectual interests and career goals.

Which elements of the GRE test do you require?

We require only the GRE general test; the subject test is notrequired for any English graduate program.

GRE test scores must be no more than five years old, e.g., if you are applying for admission in Fall 2020, you must have taken the test(s) in 2015 or more recently. The Institution Code for reporting official scores is 1851.

How can I find out when/where the GRE will be offered?

What is the minimum GRE score required for admission to your department?

We do not have a minimum required GRE score for admission. Further, the admission process is a holistic one, with special attention paid to the writing sample and the personal statement.

Can my letters of recommendation be emailed?

Letters of recommendation are uploaded directly to the application portal by the recommender. You will be prompted to provide email addresses for your recommenders during the application process. They will then receive an email with a link to upload their letter.

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How soon can I expect a decision on my application?

While there is no official decision date, students applying for the PhD program can expect a decision by the first week of April at the latest. Students applying for the MA program can expect a decision by the end of April at the latest.

Please contact the Graduate Studies Program Coordinator with specific questions.

Non-Degree Study

What non-degree options for admissions do you provide?

Please visit our Non-Degree Students page to see what options are available for students under non-degree status; briefly, you may apply as a Non-Degree English student or a Non-Degree (Unassigned) student.

If I apply as a non-degree student, do I still need to take the GRE?

If you apply as non-degree English, yes; if you apply as non-degree (unassigned), no. As for MA and PhD applicants, non-degree English applicants must have GRE scores that are no more than 5 years old. Please visit our Non-Degree Students page for more information about non-degree requirements.

Financial Aid

What percentage of incoming students receive financial aid?

All PhD students receive funding in the form of a teaching assistantship. There are no teaching assistantships available for MA students.

Some of our MA students, however, find Graduate Assistantships within the university that allow them to earn some money and receive a tuition and partial fee waiver. You can search for Graduate Hourly and Graduate Research positions on the UIC Job Board.

Can you explain your program's teaching assistantships?

Our program offers Teaching Assistantships (TAships) to all accepted PhD applicants for six years, assuming good academic standing. Many students finish the degree in a shorter length of time; however, it’s generally best to anticipate spending at least four years on the degree. The amount of support for a standard Teaching Assistantship (50% FTE) is set by the university and usually goes up slightly each year. The TAship also carries tuition and partial fee remission and a teaching load of three classes per year (2-1 load), except in the first year and after the prospectus.

MA students are not offered Teaching Assistantships through the English Department, but are encouraged to seek employment on campus as Graduate Assistants and in other part time roles in which they may have experience.

How do I apply for fellowships/awards?

Incoming students will be automatically considered for any applicable university fellowships.

Current students may browse the Graduate College fellowships and awards page to determine whether to apply to existing awards. Pay special attention to deadlines, since many applications require letters of recommendation from the DGS and/or your advisor.